To be able to start a motor on a test stand you need a flywheel. On a manual trans motor you'd attach the rear at the bellhousing. With an automatic motor,do you nee to attach the whole trans ??

I have a spare flywheel and bellhousing for test stand purposes.

Not interested in fooling with an automatic on a test stand and I'm pretty sure you do not want to run one with out trans fluid in it either.

I use an empty trans case.

I built my test stand to use a transmission. My intent was to use the stand for both small and big blocks. I don't own any manual transmissions. This way I just use the proper tranny for the engine family. I just loop the cooler line.

empty auto case w manual flywheel here.

Planning to build a few extra and offer them for sale so I need to build it "universal" from the get go.

OEM 130 tooth flywheels are fairly cheap at rockauto (think 88 Dakota V6).

A plate to bolt to the back of the engine and mount the starter should be easy to fab. I'm thinking "option accessory kit". Heck the plate could be there to mount the engine to the test stand (but it would be engine specific).

Here's what I did, cut the bell off a 727, cut 727 convertor apart, take the guts out, cut the center out so you can access the flex plate bolts. Works like a charm.

Some where on the net I found a site with Mopar acceccories , and I found a bracket for $ 14.95...that bolts to the back of the engine and the starter bolts right into that ..I made one myself , and a week later I found it on line... Don't remember the site but Just google mopar engine test stand starter bracket ..

Ta-daa...

There you go ...that's the one I was talking about !!! The one I made isn't quite as neat but works just fine ..

I drew up a plate and had it laser cut. It was my first draft of a transmission adapter plate. It cost me less than 20 bucks at the steel cutter so I keep it around as a starter adapter. I have a flywheel but an empty torque converter would work too.

Well the minor details of how guys attach their starters isn't my concern, I just want to be sure I build these things so that whatever configuration they need to mount, they can - with or without trans, with or without bellhousing.

Another one of my unfinished projects.

I built mine with trailer hubs and a tongue so it can be moved from place to place.

Looks like we bought the same plans!

Well worth the price for those plans. I was going to buy one already built but there's a lot of JUNK out there. I would have been modifying it anyway. LOL

Where did you find that bracket, Stanton and Dynamite?

So would a torque convertor work with a manual bellhousing

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it probably would in an 11" clutch bell. My reasoning is that the 11" bell is the largest and both bell and auto trans have to fit the same tunnel in the body. Now whether or not the converter needs to be supported at the rear I can't answer.

I wouldn't attempt to use a torque converter unless you also use a functional transmission attached. You can use the converter front cover and ring gear with the guts removed with a bellhousing , auto trans case,or a fabricated starter mount if you like .

Correct, if you use a convertor that has the guts in it, the internals will wobble around and cause an out of balance condition. I've used a 130 tooth flywheel with my 727 bell and it works just fine so I don't see why a convertor wouldn't work with a manual bell. This 340 is running in this pic, 130 tooth flywheel with a cut off 727 bell. A 143 tooth flywheel won't fit in a 727 bell.

Pretty cool idea.

I made mine after a trip to the metal recycler...
I use a bellhousing and fluwheel, and the rear mount can be swapped with a wood block to run an automatic complete including running through the gears.

I made a bracket that bolts to the block using a bellhousing locating pin for reference; tested it on one of my motors on a run-stand and it worked fine. I used to sell them and valve-cover spacers when I had my tool biz. Wasn't enough of a market for that stuff for me to break even.
All it takes is a small flat bracket; mine were jet-cut 3/8" aluminum.